I’m crazy about this drink! If you want a delicious and healthy alternative to coffee, hot cocoa, or tea, then turmeric milk is your drink. It’s packed full of cancer fighting antioxidants but you don’t even notice because you’re too busy enjoying the creamy taste and the rich yellow color. Make this warm drink in the morning for a coffee substitute, as an afternoon pick-me-up, or in the evening when you’re winding down. I like to drink it mid-morning as a light snack or before bed with a piece of dark chocolate. You will fall in love with this easy to make drink.
Before we get started, I want to quickly go over the health benefits of Turmeric:
- It fights inflammation, and since inflammation leads to diseases like cancer, Alzheimer’s, heart disease, and other chronic diseases, that’s pretty awesome.
- It’s a powerful antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals (which also cause cancer).
- It’s linked to improved brain function.
- Can lower the risk of heart disease, prevent and treat Alzheimer’s, and alleviate arthritis.
- Studies show that it may treat depression.
- Turmeric benefits anti-aging.
These are just a few of the many benefits of using turmeric. If you don’t already have some lying around in your kitchen, go out and buy some and get busy using it!
I originally found the recipe for turmeric milk at Nutrition Stripped, which is a blog I highly recommend. It contains some great plant based recipes and resources for healthy living. I decided to make my own simplified version of this vegan drink. Here goes!
There are only three ingredients in my turmeric milk: coconut milk, ground turmeric, and cinnamon. Here in Beijing, there are different brands than you would find in America. I found this Koh Coconut milk at a western store here. It works really well for this recipe because it’s got some sweetness in it, so I didn’t have to add any sweeteners. An American brand I love for coconut milk is So Delicious. Use any brand you like, just make it’s not the super rich coconut milk that comes in a can. Look for the coconut milk that’s in the refrigerated section of the store. If you don’t have or like coconut milk, I would recommend almond milk, but you could try any non-dairy milk. The benefit of using coconut milk with this drink is that it maximizes the healthy fats when used with turmeric, which is fat soluble.
If you’ve read any of my other recipes posts, you know that I don’t really measure things. I like to eyeball it. I like recipes that don’t involve a lot of measuring cups and having to use math to halve recipes and whatnot. So for this recipe I fill my mug up with however much coconut milk I want to drink and that’s how I measure it! Pour your coconut milk in a saucepan.
To add the turmeric, I just measure out a cap full and add it to the coconut milk. If you prefer to measure things out, I’d say it’s about one teaspoon of ground turmeric for one cup of milk, but feel free to add more or less turmeric depending on your taste preference.
Lastly, add a few sprinkles of cinnamon in for an extra kick of spice! If you really want to get spicy, McKel at Nutrition Stripped suggests adding some fresh grated ginger or a pinch of black pepper.
I brought this turmeric to Beijing with me from Texas. It’s certified organic from Target, the Archer Farms brand. If you do need to sweeten your turmeric milk, I recommend stevia extract. It’s the healthiest option as far as sweeteners go. I bought the one above from Trader Joe’s and brought it to Beijing with me as well. I recommend staying away from agave nectar or artificial sweeteners. Maple syrup is an amazing sweetener as well.
Gently stir or whisk to combine your ingredients. Let simmer for about 10 minutes. Pour into your mug and let cool. Top with a dash of cinnamon or coconut whipped cream if you’re feeling fancy and enjoy!
- 1 cup coconut milk (from the refrigerated section of the store, not in a can)
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- dash of cinnamon
- Combine coconut milk, ground turmeric, and cinnamon.
- Gently stir or whisk.
- Let simmer on lowest setting for approximately 10 minutes.
- Pour into mug and let cool. Enjoy!
- Suggestions: Use organic ingredients/Add vanilla extract, fresh grated ginger, or a pinch of black pepper/Add stevia extract or maple syrup for an all natural sweetener
I love the deep, rich yellow color. It feels so exotic! If you have any variations or suggestions to add to this recipe, please comment below!
Jillian ♥
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